Marka Discovers the Importance of Branding (Part II)

Last time, Fire Enterprises, Inc. (FEI) lead marketer Marka and Brandy the branding expert discussed the basics of brand creation and rebranding. This week, branding talk continues with a discussion of how to use your company’s logo, slogan and outbound communications to create a compelling brand presence. Remember, fire = print.

“So what’s in a brand?” Marka asked with curiosity.

“How about everything?” Brandy scoffed. She grabbed Marka’s coal and started scribbling on a cocktail napkin:

“I know what you’re getting at,” Marka said. She pulled out her current FEI business card. The clashing colors, ill-advised font selection and poor kerning between the letters F-E-I conveyed mediocrity. The fire pit graphic in the logo looked menacing, not comforting.

Brandy clicked her tongue. “This is just awful. Logos should be visual representations of intended branding messages. If Org or anyone at FEI is aiming for ‘warmth and excitement’ with this logo, they’re missing the mark.”

“Of course,” Marka agreed. After a long pause, she said, “How about removing the fire altogether, placing each letter F-E-I in Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns, using warm fire-like ghosting inside each letter and shading the edges of each letter and column with a shadowing effect?”

“Ooh, let me see if I get it,” Brandy said, telegraphing her love of guessing games. “The columns represent reliability built on the back of an exalted corporate history. The three column styles convey client diversity—B2H (business-to-hearth), B2B and the Olympian Council of Gods. Fire in the lettering suggests that you’re in the fire business, but the ghosting and shadowing means you’re a pleasant business partner, not in-your-face like Pyro.”

EFTJ TedescoAuthor's page
T.J. is team leader of Grow Sales, Inc., a marketing and social media services company operating at the intersection of compelling content, clear vision and quality communication practices. In this blog, fire is a metaphor for print. Hang on, this ride will be weird...Prometheus crept into Mt. Olympus, stole fire, returned to the lowlands, ran from house to house distributing it, got caught, was chained to a rock, lost his liver to a huge ugly bird and was rescued by Hercules. Leveraging his fame, Prometheus started Fire Enterprises Inc. (FEI). Since fire was the hottest technology of the time, company success came fast and furious. Two generations later, fire isn't such an easy sale. Now led by Prometheus' grandson Org, FEI's growth is non-existent, competitors are pounding and prices are in the toilet.